The radioactive waste from the United States' nuclear power plants in 1988 exceeded 22,500 tons, and the amount is growing daily. Radioactive wastes from similar facilities is the rest of the world are of the same order of magnitude. In the United States there is no accepted way to dispose of this waste. The major concern regarding this waste is that it will remain hazardous to living organisms for thousands of years. Any disposal scheme must ensure that in addition to being removed from any contact with living organisms, there will be no leakage into the water table or atmosphere.
None of the various schemes proposed for disposal of radioactive waste have met the approval of the scientific community for satisfying these conditions. Further, those schemes being considered entail the transportation of radioactive waste over regular commercial traffic byways to a designated "radioactive waste dump site." During transport there is a finite possibility of traffic accidents that could lead to leakage of radioactive waste and, consequently, a significant risk to living organisms.